“The New Quality Of Time" Report
Learn how the world’s new tempo is impacting the hospitality industry in this report from Accor.
TREND
The Triple Return on Business Travel
Return on Experience, Time, and Carbon are new metrics defining corporate travel value.
January 12, 2026
For decades, corporate travel has been defined by a single metric: Return on Investment (ROI). Today a new generation of travelers is rewriting the rules, and we are entering an era where every stay balances performance and cost alongside memorable experiences, wellbeing and sustainability.
Business travel is experiencing a new momentum, driven by a growing appreciation for the power of meaningful in-person connections. Companies are embracing travel as a strategic opportunity to foster trust, strengthen culture, and actively support employee well-being, while ensuring each journey leaves a significantly lighter mark on the planet.
ROI still matters, of course, but for the next generation of professionals it is no longer the sole measure of value. They are also asking about:
Return on Time (ROT) – whether time spent travelling truly translates into better collaboration, stronger relationships, and faster decisions;
Return on Experience (ROX) – the quality of the journey itself, including opportunities to recharge, explore destinations, and blend business with well-being;
Return on Carbon (ROC) – how the environmental footprint of each trip weighs against its strategic impact.
Together, these three metrics are shaping Accor’s approach and reinforcing our commitment to deliver holistic, future-ready value for our clients – both guests and business travel partners.
With businesses trying to strike the perfect balance between carbon, cost, productivity and purpose, it's a time of great change for the industry, with opportunities that hospitality can lead. Whether it be for group meetings or individual business travel, hotels can take initiative to demonstrate how we can fulfill the triple return on corporate travel in a variety of innovative and measurable ways.
Julien Houdebine
Chief Sales & Revenue Officer, Accor
Return On Time: The Power of Presence
Time is the scarcest and most valued resource for today's professionals. The question is not whether to travel, but whether each journey delivers measurable value that justifies hours away from home, routines, and personal priorities. When employees do step on a plane or train, they expect this time to translate into stronger relationships and more impactful collaboration, recognizing that the value of business travel now extends to more than just greater profit for the company.
Performance Through Connection
Meaningful in-person connections are precisely what justify this investment. Face-to-face interactions often create outcomes virtual meetings cannot easily replicate. Trust builds faster. Creativity flows more freely. Complex negotiations resolve more effectively. Return On Time is maximized when, for example, a two-day offsite compresses weeks of virtual back-and-forth, a client meeting unlocks a multi-year partnership, or a mentoring lunch accelerates a promising career.
While AI and digital tools have transformed how we collaborate, nothing matches the impact of meeting in person. It’s through face-to-face interactions that trust builds faster, creativity flows more freely, and complex decisions are made more effectively. Technology connects us, but it’s the human connection - sharing ideas, building culture, and driving commercial value - that truly accelerates our success.
Emmanuel Ebray
SVP MICE & Airlines, Accor
For 86% of travelers surveyed, business trips are worthwhile, underscoring the value of face-to-face interactions in building relationships, closing deals, and achieving strategic objectives. (Global Business Travel Association 2025 Survey)
Connecting with external stakeholders; new business development initiatives, in-person stakeholder engagement, and conferences all rank among the top five drivers of business-travel growth.
Hotels as Catalysts
Hotels can be uniquely positioned as a true “third place” beyond the home and office – they are inspiring environments, specifically designed for human connection. This is where the true magic of business travel comes to life as connections are forged, deals are signed, and careers grow. Be it at breakfast tables, during evening networking, or in a quiet corner of a lobby; hotels provide dynamic and inspiring spaces where professionals can truly listen and be heard.
As the boundaries between work and leisure continue to blur, hotels are adapting to the new era of "blended living." Guests now expect spaces that seamlessly support both business and leisure, from multifunctional suites with kitchenettes and video-friendly workspaces to inviting communal areas for networking and relaxation.
Hotels are no longer just places to sleep – they’re becoming dynamic environments that empower guests to move effortlessly between work, play, and everything in between. Accor’s diverse brand portfolio caters to this trend, offering a range of spaces designed to cater to the fluidity of contemporary work and travel, blending efficiency, experience, and sustainability.
92%
of corporate travelers prefer to stay in hotels, for their reliability, amenities and convenience.
Global Business Travel Association 2025 Survey
Shaping the Future of Business Travel
Accor remains at the forefront of this evolution in corporate travel, thanks to its Global Leadership Council (GLC). This advisory board brings together travel managers and buyers from 17 leading multinational companies representing 2.7 million business travelers. The GLC connects business leaders responsible for corporate travel across different sectors – including financial services, engineering, manufacturing, transportation, energy, professional services, and technology – with Accor's executives.
At recent sessions, delegates identified common priorities shaping the future of business travel: personalization (including loyalty and wellbeing), traveler experience (employee engagement, wellness, security, and digital efficiencies), cost optimization, and sustainability. Accor compiles valuable insights into reports for the Council, shedding light on business travel globally, helping professionals anticipate and maximize the identified needs of modern travelers. By collaborating closely with our clients, Accor is not just responding to change; we are helping redefine what business travel can be.
Return On Experience (ROX): Business Travel That Restores
Business travelers, particularly the younger generation, now use corporate travel not just for work, but also to recharge and take care of themselves, connect and exchange, sometimes even extending their stays to discover new destinations and create memorable experiences along the way. When a trip enables someone to progress on a strategic project, strengthen relationships and – at the same time – come back feeling enriched and restored, ROX is high and the journey was truly worthwhile.
From Productive Trips to Fulfilling Ones
Wellbeing has become central as modern travelers seek relaxation and revitalization, carving out time to recharge between meetings or in combination with business trips. This shift is reshaping how hotels design their amenities and offerings. Local discovery and moments to pause and reset are no longer “nice to have” add-ons. They are now part of the core value proposition.
By integrating wellness across every touchpoint - from restorative sleep offerings and wellness-focused technologies to nutritious, locally sourced food options that respect diverse dietary needs -hotels can actively support both physical and mental balance. Dedicated wellness lounges enrich the business traveler’s experience, offering spaces to relax, recharge, and refocus through calming environments, healthy refreshments, and interactive wellness activities.
Deepening Human Connections
When colleagues share meaningful experiences on the road, the relationship is strengthened, truly bringing ROX to life. Hotels play a pivotal role here by creating spaces and experiences that foster genuine connections and deliver value far beyond the meeting room.
Shared dinners after intense sessions, early-morning workouts at the gym, or exploring neighborhoods together build cohesion through memorable, bonding moments unlike any team building exercise in a meeting room ever could.
Work travel must offer more than just efficiency: it has to create value for the traveler as much as the business. Increasingly, business travelers are prioritizing their wellbeing, energy and performance. In fact, a third of travelers are taking a daily step to improve their mental and physical wellbeing. When they travel, they are no longer just managing their time, they’re managing their energy levels - maximizing their performance by maintaining their longevity habits, They travel with focus and purpose, and we must support them, not just to save time, but to help them stay energized, resilient, and ready to perform.
Jean-Yves Minet
Brand President, Midscale & Economy Brands, Accor
Focus on Experience
At Sofitel, The Art of Sleep program was developed through scientific research designed to reduce the “first-night effect” that can disrupt sleep when travelling. It features a holistic sleep experience including signature bedding, soothing rituals, and carefully considered room environments. From lighting and temperature to calming playlists, and in-room amenities designed to promote relaxation, every detail is intended to help guests fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake feeling restored and ready to perform.
Novotel creates environments that help guests feel grounded, supported and energized; from redesigned social hubs that encourage natural interaction to meetings and events that put human performance first. Novotel is launching the Novotel 37 Collective of leading global experts, athletes and creators to support guests’ longevity, inspiring guests to eat a little better, sleep more deeply, move with intention, and connect meaningfully, at Novotel and beyond their stay, making it easier for business travelers to maintain their sleep, fitness and nutrition routines on the road.
Pullman, through Pullman xChange, the brand's flagship series of events, puts human connection at the heart of the guest experience by transforming hotels into places of exchange, where ideas and people move freely, fostering creativity and connection. In an era where travelers are increasingly blending business and leisure, they are seeking out places that inspire them through design, culture, and conversation. Pullman’s new chapter answers with dynamic environments, immersive programming, and human-centered service anchored in emotional intelligence, designed to enhance connection and discovery.
Return On Carbon: Sustainability as Currency
For corporate travelers, sustainability has moved from preference to prerequisite. Organizations now weigh environmental impact as part of travel planning alongside financial and experiential returns. The question isn't just "what does this trip cost?" but "what is the carbon footprint?", and companies increasingly integrate emissions into travel planning by setting carbon budgets, encouraging rail over air where possible, and favoring eco-certified hotels.
Companies – particularly in Europe – treat emissions as strategic currency, with carbon budgets emerging as planning tools to drive greener travel behaviors. This shift accelerates as travelers themselves demand sustainable options. At the same time, it creates opportunities for hospitality providers who recognize environmental accountability strengthens their competitive position. Organizations are responding with eco-certification requirements, carbon calculators, and responsible travel policies that make environmental accountability measurable and actionable.
93%
of travelers want more sustainable travel choices*
48%
of travel managers plan work trips with less ecological impact**
*Booking.com 2025 Travel & Sustainability Report **2025 Deloitte Insights
Accor Innovates on Accountability
Accor leads this transition with concrete solutions that bring carbon management into day-to-day decision making. The myclimate carbon calculator, developed in partnership with myclimate, enables business travelers or companies to calculate and offset the carbon footprint of their stays, meetings, or events, providing clear reporting and certificates for compensated emissions. This transparency allows organizations to make informed decisions and track progress toward sustainability goals.
At Accor, we believe true accountability means helping our partners embrace a new mindset, one that treats sustainability as a strategic priority. By developing practical tools and measurable solutions, we empower organizations to turn ambition into action and make positive change a reality.
Christophe Etchegaray
SVP Corporate, TMC & Consortia, Accor
Another initiative, the Event Carbon Reduction Charter, mandates priority actions across Accor’s 18,500+ meeting and event spaces worldwide, from recycling and water filtration to vegetarian menu options and food waste management.
Working with these partners among others, Accor has reached 50% eco-certification across its global hotel portfolio, giving travelers and corporate buyers independently verified proof of environmental performance.
This level of transparency and ambition provides the reassurance travelers and companies seek to choose hotels that align with their sustainability strategies, and turns Return on Carbon into a differentiator for properties and owners.
The future of business travel belongs to organizations that understand value extends beyond the bottom line. By delivering Return on Time, Return on Experience, and Return on Carbon, hospitality companies can better position themselves as essential partners in purposeful travel, journeys that advance careers, restore individuals, and respect the planet.
Putting the Triple Return into Practice
Here are some of the ways Accor hotels are creating environments that deliver on all three metrics:
Spaces to Catalyze Connection
Wellbeing Is Integrated Into Every Touchpoint
Extending the Journey Beyond Business
Providing Measurable Sustainability Tools
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